Policies

INTRODUCTORY
Holy Cross is a Catholic Regional Secondary School which has been established by the Archbishop of Vancouver to serve the educational needs of eight parishes: Immaculate Conception, Delta, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Surrey, Precious Blood, Cloverdale, Saint Bernadette’s, Surrey, Saint Joseph’s, Langley, Star of the Sea, White Rock, Saint Matthew’s, Surrey and Saint Andrew Kim, Surrey. The school is co-educational offering an academic program for students in Grade eight through twelve.

SPIRIT AND PHILOSOPHY
Christ is the focal point of school life at Holy Cross. We, clergy, teachers, administrators and students are a Christian Community who share the Catholic faith. It is our wish to be supportive of parents, to continue and supplement home teaching in promoting the spiritual, mental, physical, social and emotional growth of our students. It is expected of students, that they as disciples of Our Lord, will serve and spread the knowledge and love of God, now as students, and later wherever they find their apostolate.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Holy Cross should present to the students and educational system in which the student has the opportunity to develop as a complete person by fulfilling all his or her educational needs. It should prepare young people to live in today’s world by helping them seek knowledge, by showing them how to communicate with and understand and work with others, by giving them opportunity for growth and self-discipline. It should present them with a Christian philosophy of life and a realization of who they are and where they are going.

STRUCTURE
Holy Cross Regional High School is established in accordance with the Provisional Guidelines for the structure of school Administration under the “Catholic Public Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese.”
As such, it is run by a local Educational Committee, made up of two elected representatives from each of the participating parishes, and three pastors, elected by the seven pastors of the participating parishes. One of these pastors is appointed as Archbishop’s Representative in the school.
The local Education Committee is responsible for the day to day running of the school, delegating responsibility of academic life to the principal of the school. (Note: A copy of the Provisional Guidelines is available from each Parish Representative.)

PERSONAL INFORMATION PRIVACY POLICY
Personal Information of individuals cannot be used in any way without the consent of the individuals. Registrations contain the Personal Information Consent Form for families to sign to give Holy Cross the permission to use individual family information. The school website at www.holycross.bc.ca contains all of the policies the school follows and gives the basic information concerning the privacy Policy.
ADMISSIONS
Admission to Holy Cross will be made on the basis of parish, religion, ability, parents’ participation, and places available. Because Holy Cross is a regional school, it must serve the people of the region first. Students will not be admitted who cannot meet the minimum standard of the courses that are offered. In assessing a student’s academic abilities, past performance, the assessment of previous teachers, especially the grade 7 teacher, and the Holy Cross Entrance Exam are taken into consideration.
HOLY CROSS REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL POLICY FOR HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS
It is the policy of Holy Cross Regional High School to permit Home Schooled students to participate in extra-curricular activities, provided they are registered at the school, and provided they agree to adhere to all Athletic Department Policies.

CONCERNS, PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES
If a student or parent feels that he or she has a concern or wishes to resolve a problem or a difficulty, the student or parent is asked to contact the teacher involved as soon as possible. If the difficulty remains unresolved, the student or parent may contact the principal. Parents are free to contact their Education Committee Representative if they have any concerns.
Above all, it is essential that any complaint be registered immediately with the person involved. Nothing is gained by complaining to other parents, students or teachers.
If there is any question about any aspect of school life, it should be referred to one of the Parish Representatives, who will then refer the person making the inquiry to the proper person to contact.

RULES AND DISCIPLINE
Discipline at Holy Cross is meant to develop within the students courtesy and respect for themselves and others. They should be learning to discipline themselves intellectually, socially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Self-discipline is best taught by example and teachers are asked to reinforce the example given at home by exhibiting the qualities that a mature person should have.
Students are asked at all times to meet these standards of discipline, both in the regular school situations as well as at extra-curricular activities, such as dances, games etc.

CISVA EXPULSION RATIONALE
There will be no tolerance for serious infractions of school or CISVA policy. Any misconduct deemed serious will always result in disciplinary action and may result in suspension or expulsion from the school.

SUSPENSION
A student may be suspended if:
• the misconduct is serious, in and of itself and /or
• the accumulation of minor misconducts warrants further disciplinary action
For a student to be reinstated following a suspension:
• the student must accept responsibility for their misconduct(s)
• the student must accept, and follow through with, consequences established by the school.
• parent(s) of the student must accept and support the school’s disciplinary decision(s)
EXPULSION
A student may be expelled if:
• the misconduct is deemed serious enough, in and of itself, to warrant direct expulsion and/or
• previous serious misconduct(s) warrant further disciplinary action
A student will always be expelled if:
(or a student may also be expelled if)
 he/she does not accept responsibility for their misconduct(s) and/or
• he/she does not accept, and follow through with, consequences established by the school and/or
• the student’s parent(s) do not accept and support the school’s disciplinary decision(s) and/or
• his/her actions place others in moral or physical danger

The Principal has the authority to suspend or expel and does so in accordance with section C426 of CISVA policy.
All CISVA schools adhere to the above stated policies and procedures for suspension and expulsion.

EXPULSION APPEAL PROCEDURE
In the event that a student and his/her family wish to appeal a decision that has resulted in an expulsion, they must notify the chairperson of the Education Committee no more than seven days after they have been informed of the action. The chairperson will then assemble a sub-committee to hear the appeal.

The sub-committee will consist of the Archbishop’s representative, the Education Committee chairperson and four other members elected from the Education Committee at large. An elected alternate will be available to hear the appeal in the event that one of the four is not able to attend. No two members from the same parish will be elected to be on the committee. As well as the student’s parents, his/her parish priest will be invited to attend the hearing. The chairperson will remain an independent moderator of the appeal procedure.

Before the appeal begins, the appellant and the school will make available to the members of the sub-committee, any and all information they consider necessary in the hearing case. The proceeding will begin with presentations, which will be brief and to the point, there will be a question period during which members of the sub-committee may question either party. If, at this time, either party wishes to direct a question to the other, it must be done through the chair who will ensure that such questions are relevant to the case being heard.

Once the chairperson has ascertained that all pertinent information has been heard, both the appellant and the principal will be asked to leave and the sub-committee will make its decision “in camera” by a majority vote. The chairperson will cast a vote only in the event of a tie.

The Education Committee shall notify the appellant, and the principal, of its decision within seven days of the meeting. The decision shall be communicated in written form.
THE APPEAL PROCESS FOR SUSPENSION, PROBATION, AND EXPULSION
The decision to overturn the expulsion must be based on one or more of the following points:
1. Did the student commit the infraction he/she is accused of?
2. Is the infraction covered by policy and does the policy require or allow expulsion?
3. Is the policy being applied properly?
4. Has the school followed its own and Archdiocesan policy regarding the handling of the expulsion?
Often parents will appeal a decision to expel, although they agree that the student is guilty of the infraction and that the school followed policy correctly, as such, the parents are not appealing the correctness of the decision, but are asking for clemency.

If an appeal is made beyond the local education committee, the CISVA Board of Directors will only address the four principles, not the issue of clemency.
• Appropriate documents for this Appeal process will be given to the student’s parent(s) at the time the sanction is imposed.

• All CISVA policies in this area supercede those of the school.

RADIOS, MP3 PLAYERS, CELL TELEPHONES
Students are not allowed to have in their possession such items as radios, MP3 players or cell phones, during the school day. These items will be confiscated by teachers and will only be returned to the parents.

Parents are asked not to contact their children on cell telephones during school hours. If an emergency arises, contact the school office and students will be informed immediately.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE
At all times students are expected to present a personal appearance that is consistent with the philosophy of the school. This means that school uniform must not be altered in any way. Hair must not be dyed an unnatural colour. Boys are not allowed to wear ear studs or any other type of facial piercing. Boys are not allowed to cover up an ear stud with a band-aid or tape. Girls are not allowed any facial piercing. No student is allowed to have a pierced tongue. Boy’s hair must be of the shirt collar. Kilts lengths must not be higher than 4 inches from the bottom of the knee when kneeling down. Upon direction from the Principal, students may be instructed to change some aspect of their personal appearance.

UNIFORMS
Girls
School Kilt*
White Crested Polo Shirt
Black knee high socks or plain black tights
Black dress shoes
Crested black cardigan

BOYS
Khaki pants
White crested polo shirt
Plain black belt
Black dress shoes
Crested black cardigan

*Kilt lengths must not be higher than 4 inches from the bottom of the knee when kneeling down.

An optional summer uniform is available. It may be worn from May 1st to the end of the school year and from the beginning of September to October 15th.

P.E. STRIP FOR ALL STUDENTS
Grey T-shirt and red/black shorts
White socks with red trim
Runners
Students must purchase the T-shirt, shorts and socks, necessary for P.E. from Holy Cross. This purchase is made in the first P.E. period of the year. T-shirts, shorts and socks are available throughout the school year if the need should arise.
P.E. LOCKERS
The lockers in the change rooms are available to each student during his/her P.E. class. The lock must be REMOVED at the end of the class, so that the locker is available for students in the next class. Failure to remove a lock will require that it be cut off, and the items removed.

SMOKING

Smoking is prohibited on any part of the school property and on any part of St. Matthew’s Parish property. Smoking is also prohibited at any school sponsored activity. Any student found smoking will receive at least, a one day suspension from school. If the problem persists, the parents will be contacted and the possibility, of the student being told to leave the school, will be discussed.

As of September 2, 2007, it is against the law to smoke on school property. Signs are posted at various places on the school property to this effect, in accordance with the BC Tobacco Act #2.2.

DRINKING AND DRUGS
The school observes a policy of “0″ tolerance towards illicit drugs. Any student involved with or in possession of illicit drugs at school or a school sponsored event, may be expelled.
Any student who is under the influence or in the possession of alcohol while at school or a school sponsored event, (ie dance, trips, sporting events etc.) may be expelled.

GROSS MISCONDUCT
Any student who steals is flagrantly disrespectful to others, or acts in a way that would be considered gross misconduct will be either suspended or expelled, depending on the circumstances at the discretion of the school administration. Any materials stolen from a teacher will result in an automatic expulsion.

BULLYING AND HARASSMENT
Rationale: Staff and students together are responsible to maintain a safe school environment where bullying or harassment will not be tolerated. In order to stop harassment/bullying, reporting is essential. Harassment/bullying occurs when there is an abusive power imbalance; it is different from conflict or arguing.
Protocol: There is a protocol in place at Holy Cross to deal with incidents of harassment/bullying. Students are encouraged to report incidents to the school counsellor without delay. We want to establish counselling as a process for students to change their behaviour by choice while discouraging the perception of counselling as a punishment. Counselling early in the process gives students an opportunity to learn from their mistakes in a non-threatening environment. If the incident is more of a conflict or dispute, conflict resolution through counselling is highly effective before the situation escalates. All incidents reported to a counsellor, teacher or administrator will be taken seriously.
• Depending on the severity of the incident, initially there will be a plan of action(counselling) & or a consequence to encourage a change in behaviour.
• For repeat offences or more significant first offence along with documentation in H/B binder, a phone call or letter sent home.
• If there is an established pattern of minor incidents that suggest an unwillingness to change inappropriate behaviour, or a more serious initial incident the student will be suspended.
• When the offence suggests a blatant disregard of the rights of others, and / or the continued unwillingness to change behaviour, or is gross misconduct then it may warrant expulsion.

The following behaviour exemplify bullying or harassment that will not be tolerated at Holy Cross:
1. PHYSICAL AGGRESSION
such as hitting, pushing, budging, spitting…
2. INTIMIDATION
such as verbal threats taunting, dirty looks, hateful letters….
3. VERBAL AGGRESSION OR TEASING
such as insults, hate letters, offensive jokes, put downs, making fun of or mocking a person, use of Internet in
a demeaning manner…
4. DISCRIMINATION
such as judging or acting against a person because of their race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender…
5. EXCLUSION
such as gossiping, spreading rumours, isolating a person, refusing to acknowledge a person…
6 TRICKERY
such as hurtful pranks, accident on purpose, lying, denying, blaming the other person, setting someone up…
7. STEALING
taking someone’s personal possessions.

Students who feel that they are being bullied or harassed are encouraged to identify the behaviour and ask for it to stop. If it can’t be resolved students or parents are strongly encouraged to report the incident. Usually bullying gets worse if it is not reported and the school cannot work to resolve the problem if it goes unreported.

STUDENT SAFETY AND SECURITY
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:
Weapons:
A weapon is anything that is used or designed to hurt someone or to put someone in fear. Our policy thus concurs with the definition of a weapon in The Criminal Code of Canada, Sec. 82 “weapon” means:
a) anything used or intended for use in causing death or injury or not, or
b) anything used or intended for use for the purpose of threatening or intimidating any person, and, without restricting the generality of the foregoing, includes any firearms as defined in Section 82.”
Consequences:

Our students (and parents) should be advised that weapons of any kind are prohibited on any school premise or at any school event and students who are found with knives or other dangerous objects on their person or in their lockers will be expelled. As well, carrying a concealed weapon is contrary to The Criminal Code of Canada. Anyone convicted of such a charge is liable to imprisonment.

1. When a principal has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that a student has:
a) on either his/her person, or in a locker or a desk, a weapon, or
b) displayed or brandished a weapon in a threatening or intimidating manner, or
c) assaulted another person with a weapon, he/she shall notify parent/guardian and immediately refer the matter to the police.
2. The principal will initiate suspension procedures. Verification of items “a”, “b”, or “c” above will lead to expulsion.
3. Police investigation may result in arrest and criminal charges.

PROCEDURES FOR LATENESS
Whenever a student is late for any class, including homeroom period, the student must report to the office first. There the student will be issued a late slip to obtain permission to enter class. The slip will be handed to the teacher. Lates are recorded in the school office. Repeated lateness will result in a warning letter from the Vice-Principal. If this does not correct the situation, suspension could follow.

LATENESS AND ABSENCES
Whenever a student is going to be late for school, a phone call to that effect should be made to the office.

Whenever a student is being kept away from school for any length of time, a note must be sent to the school when the pupil returns, giving the reason for absence. This note must be signed by the parent or guardian.

Absentee notes will be turned in to the office the day a student returns to school.

If a student is unable to take P.E. then he or she must bring a note to the office before classes start on the day in question.

If parents are to be away a note must be sent to the school stating how long the parents will be away and who will be the guardian during their absence.

LATE/ABSENCES
If a student misses a class it his/her responsibility to make up the work that he/she missed. But parents and students should realize that students may not be able to make up all the marks missed during unnecessary absences. For example, marks for group work, oral work and participation may be forfeited.

Students must have a valid reason for being late for or missing a test/quiz/exam before a make up test will be considered. The student must speak to the teacher concerned on the day of his/her return to explain the absence, so that the teacher may set up a time for the test, if the absence was considered legitimate by the school.

If a student knows that he/she will be away for a class(such as field trips, appointments…) The student needs to speak to his/her teachers beforehand to find out what will be missed and what he/she needs to make up. Teachers may request that students write tests or quizzes that were scheduled for the day that the student will be absent before the field trip or immediately after they return; it should not be assumed that students can wait until the following class to write tests, quizzes or hand in work.

Holidays, when school is in session, are not legitimate absences. Therefore, students will lose marks for oral work, group work and participation, and may not be allowed to make up tests.

Excessive absences may disqualify a student from recommendation at the end of the year. There must be a note from parents for every day a student is absent.

DISMISSAL FROM CLASS
No student may leave a class without the teacher’s permission. If a student has to leave class early for any reason, a note to that effect should be given to the office before homeroom in the morning. This will be recorded in the Absentee List circulated to all teachers during the day. The student should remind the teacher of the class from which the student is leaving early at the beginning of class.

EARLY DISMISSAL
If a student has to leave school before the regular dismissal time for that day, the student must report to the office before leaving.

DENTAL AND MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
If a student is to have a dental or medical appointment, in so far as is possible, this should be made after school or at a time when school is not in session.

HALLS AND CLASSROOMS
Students at all times should act in the school building in an appropriate manner. School furnishings must always be treated with respect. Every time money has to be spent on repairing unnecessary damage, money cannot be spent in other areas. Teachers establish rules of conduct in all areas: gym, labs, etc., and these rules must be observed.

CARS
Students may park their cars on the school grounds. Any student guilty of speeding through the school grounds or dangerous driving in or around the school will lose this privilege. During the course of the school day students will not be allowed to sit in their cars for any reason unless leaving the school. Any student driving a car to school, on a regular basis, must sign, along with his or her parents, a permission form.

SCHOOL GROUNDS
Students in Grades 11 and 12 will be allowed to leave the grounds at lunch. Students in Grades 8 to 10 will be not allowed to leave the grounds at any time during the course of the school day.

BANQUETS
Banquets are held at various times in the school year for students who have engaged in athletics or other activities. These banquets are open to all students

GYMNASIUM
Because the gymnasium is also the auditorium, students often forget how they are expected to act at assemblies. Students will be instructed as to the proper behaviour to evince during assemblies and will be expected to act accordingly. Guests at assemblies, and pep rallies must be treated with politeness and respect always. Booing is always inappropriate at any school function. Verbal abuse of game officials will not be tolerated.
Only gym shoes may be worn on the gym floor at any time.
Failure to wear running shoes, before or after school, at the break, or at lunch will result in confiscation of the equipment being used.

STAFF ROOM
The staff room is for the teachers only. No students should be in the staff room at any time for any reason. This applies seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.

Students are asked not to go to the staff room in search of teachers. The teachers need their break and lunch hour as much as the students, and it is an imposition on the teachers to disturb them at these times.

BOOK ROOM AND CANTEEN
No student should be in the book room or canteen without the permission of the person in charge.

SCHOOL ON WEEKENDS AND IN THE EVENINGS
No student is allowed in the school buildings after school or on the weekends unless there is a teacher in charge. Students planning group activities at these times must ensure that there is a sponsor teacher present. This teacher is charged with supervising the activity and securing the building when the activity is over.

SCHOOL EQUIPMENT
No student may use school equipment without permission. If students wish to use equipment other than for classroom purposes, it must be used under the direct supervision of a teacher. Any equipment that is broken must be reported to the teacher in charge.

TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks are very valuable and are issued to the school by the Department of Education on a per capita basis. It is essential therefore that textbooks be treated properly to preserve their life. A record of all textbooks issued to a student is kept by the issuing teacher. At the time of issue a note of any damage is recorded. At time of collection of textbooks any further damage will be assessed by the issuing teacher and a fine levied. Any lost textbooks must be replaced by the student, either with a new copy or by payment of the cost of replacement. Students must not loan books to other students. Any book found in the possession of the wrong student will be confiscated. No report card will be issued to any student who owes money at the end of the year for textbook damage or loss.

CANTEEN AND EATING AREAS
The canteen and eating areas are for the students’ convenience. Like any other area of the school they must be treated with respect. The canteen is open daily at lunchtime. Eating areas are a dining room and should be treated accordingly. Students must clean up after eating, depositing scraps and waste in the receptacles provided.

LOCKERS
Lockers are allocated to the students for the convenience of storage. They must be treated with respect. Lockers should not be marked or have pictures, etc. stuck to the doors or walls since this damages the paint.

Lockers must be kept locked with a combination lock purchased from the school.

The lock must have a serial number and combination registered with the homeroom teacher in case it should be necessary to open the locker during the student’s absence. Lockers may be searched at any time by either a member of Administration or the homeroom teacher.

Students who leave their lockers unlocked may have the contents removed by a member of the Administration and may lose the privilege of having a locker.

Students who abuse a locker will lose the privilege of having a locker, as well as pay for any damages.

LOST AND FOUND
Articles found in the school should be taken to the school office. Any articles left in the changing rooms will be held by the P.E. staff.

Students are warned not to bring large sums of money to school or to leave valuables in their lockers. During P.E. classes items such as watches and jewellery should be left with the teacher and not in pockets or purses in the changing room.

THE SCHOOL ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOST OR STOLEN ARTICLES

OFFICE HOURS
The school office is open daily from 8:00 A.M.- 4:00 P.M. Office staff should be asked to contact students only in cases of emergency.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Only authorized announcements may be made over the school P.A. system. Any student wishing to have an announcement made over the P.A. or at homeroom must obtain permission of a teacher. Any announcement to be made must be in the office before the first bell at 8:25 A.M.

FIELD TRIPS
Field trips are an excellent teaching aid and teachers at Holy Cross are encouraged to plan meaningful field trips for their students.

When students are going on a field trip, parents are notified as far ahead as possible and permission slips will be sent home for the parents to sign. The slip must be returned to the school immediately or the student will not be allowed on the trip.

When travelling to and from the site of the excursion the teacher is in charge and must accompany the students. On trips such as the Quebec Exchange or any other which lasts a number of days the teacher accompanying the students will make every effort to ensure that the students attend mass if Sunday, or any other day where mass attendance is required, is one of the days the students are away from home.

GROUP TRAVEL POLICY
In the event any group in the school is planning a major trip in or out of the province the sponsoring teacher must first discuss the trip with the Principal. A major trip is defined as any trip having some kind of overnight component. Once the idea of the trip is agreed upon, the proposed trip will be presented to the Education Committee. The proposal must contain, as much as possible, such data as dates, the purpose of the trip, the cost per student, an itinerary, number of accompanying chaperones, proposed fundraising activities and any other information that is relevant to the proposed trip. Once the Education Committee approves the trip, then the students may be informed.

Teams travelling to tournament or provincial tournaments will have these trips approved by the Principal.

The appropriate number of chaperones for these trips, male or female is always taken into consideration when planning for the trip. If the groups travelling are of one gender then there must be at least one chaperone of that gender accompanying the team or group.
Any students may have a planned trip cancelled if school fees are in arrears and no provisions have been made to pay the fees.

SCHOOL CLUBS
ATHLETIC CLUBS
Holy Cross has four major sports programs: Volleyball, Football, Basketball and Track.

Try-outs for each sport are held at the beginning of each season and students are encouraged to participate in these.

PEP RALLIES
From time to time throughout the year the Pep Rallies are held in the gym, particularly during the day of important games. Sometimes these are held during school time, sometimes they are held at lunch hour. Pep Rallies held during school time are compulsory. The purpose of Pep Rallies is to gain support for the teams, to encourage students to attend the games, and to recognize the achievements of the athletes.

Pep Rallies are seen to be an important expression of the school philosophy and the concern to build.

STUDENT COUNCIL
The Student Council is an elected body which directs student activities and represents, on an official level, the view and concerns of the students.

HOLY CROSS PLAYERS
The Extra-Curricular Theater Program has a major production each year. Students do not need to be enrolled in an Acting or Drama course to be selected as a cast member. The production has a large cast with student representatives from all grade levels eligible to audition. All casts are selected based on auditions held in September. The audition piece should be 3-5 minutes in length and display the student’s theatrical strengths. Apart from a roll in the cast, Holy Cross students should approach a Director about helping with set construction, make-up, hair, costumes, ushering, ticket sales, publicity, stage management, lighting, and sound. Each year we involve over a hundred students in both cast and crew responsibilities. As well, there is a compulsory Drama Retreat Weekend held in February Students are asked to commit to a rigorous rehearsal schedule – usually two, 2-hour rehearsals per week.

YEARBOOK
The Holy Cross Yearbook, “The Crusader,” is published annually under the leadership of an editorial staff of Senior students.

Each student in the school will receive a Yearbook, as $35.00 from each registration fee is directed toward the purchase of the yearbook.

CHOIR
Holy Cross has a choir which practices and performs from September to May. Students are encouraged to participate.

FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES
No major fund raising activity may be mounted in the school without permission of the Education Committee. Small activities, such as bake sales and sock hops, can be mounted by individual groups with permission of the Principal. By following these procedures it is hoped that the students will not have too many demands made on their pocketbook.

It is recognized that it is good for students to engage in activities which will defray school expenses or will raise money for charity. While all students are encouraged to participate in all school activities, it is clear that not all students can afford to donate to all fund raising activities. Parents are asked to help students to arrive at a Christian balance between taking care of their own needs and the needs of the community as a whole.

CHEATING ON EXAMINATIONS
Any student found to be cheating on any school examination will automatically receive a mark of “0″ for the examination in question. If the student is found cheating on a government examination the rules, as stated by the government, will apply.

FINAL EXAMS
The final exams, set in June, may examine, as far as possible, the entire year’s work or any portion of the work the teacher decides upon.

RECOMMENDATION DAY
On the last day of regular classes in the school year, the teachers shall give to the students directives as to their standing in each subject. This standing shall be determined in the following manner:
a) Marks shall be calculated by averaging the mark for the two terms, the second term mark being calculated on all marks up to the exam for that term.
b) If a student has 73%(B) average in a subject, he/she may not be required to write the final exam in that subject. If a student is below 73% then he/she will be required to write the final exam of the particular subject. It should be remembered that recommendation is at the discretion of the teacher.
c) If a student must write the final exam, the mark for the year shall be calculated with the second term mark being calculated on the basis of term work and the final exam.
d) There are no recommendations in Grade 11 and Grade 12 courses. In Grade 12 subjects where there are government exams, 60 percent of the final mark will come from the school and 40 percent of the mark will come from the government exam administered at the end of the school year.
e) In order to better prepare students for their Provincial Exams the following subjects will have final examinations: English 9, Mathematics 9, Science 9 and Social Studies 10. Therefore, there will be no recommendations in these subjects.

GRADE 12 GRADUATION
Any Grade 12 student who, is not passing the classes necessary for graduation at the time of the April Progress Report, will not be allowed to attend graduation functions starting with the dinner-dance. In government examination subjects the benefit is always given to the student doing well enough on the provincial examination to pass the course in question.

RELIGIOUS LIFE
Holy Cross Regional Secondary School has as its central purpose as providing an atmosphere and an environment which will help the students to realize the richness of the Catholic faith. In doing so, the school hopes to build on the foundations of faith that have been established at home, assisting the parents in their work of guiding the students towards a full understanding of and commitment to the Christian life.
Mass/ The importance of the mass is recognized at Holy Cross, both as a way of increasing the faith of the individual and helping in the building of a Christian community.

Regularly throughout the school year masses will be offered at St. Matthew’s. Students are given an opportunity to share in the preparation of these masses.

The schedule for school masses is decided at the beginning of the school year and is included in the calendar of events sent home to parents. Parents and friends are cordially invited to join the students and staff in the celebration of school masses.
Religious Education or Homeroom teachers as well as team coaches are encouraged to arrange masses for individual groups or classes, either in school time or before a game.

SCHOOL CHAPEL
We are privileged to have a school chapel, which is open during school hours. Students are encouraged to make private visits to the chapel during their own time.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES
The purpose of the Religious Education classes at Holy Cross is to make explicit what is implied in the philosophy of the school: Holy Cross is a Religious Community whose heart is the Eucharist.

Our goal, then, is to make it possible for students and staff to experience this community.

It is our hope that our Religious Education classes and all aspects of life at Holy Cross will prepare the students to be a vital part of the Christian Community at large – the Church – while they are in school and after they leave. It is our hope that we can prepare our students to be Christ in the world.

DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Under the Bishop’s Representative (Executive Director) the Director of Religious Education will oversee the curriculum content, textbook selections and liturgical celebration within the school. The director will be available to consult with and advise teachers on religious course content, theology and resource materials.

CO-ORDINATOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
The co-ordinator will assist the Director of Religious Education and be responsible for the day to day co-ordination of the department and the implementation of the curriculum. The co-ordinator will call department meetings and will chair such meetings at the pleasure of the director.

The above are the terms of reference given to the newly appointed Directors of Religious Education in each Diocesan High School by the Chancery.

THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME
The approval of the Director of Religious Education is required to change the time-table of religious education classes.

The director shall receive copies of examination papers concerned with Religious Education before the students write the examination.

A student who fails an examination in Religious Education will be given a series of assignments to be completed in a satisfactory manner during the summer.

It shall be necessary for students to pass their Religious Education Examinations in order to enter a higher grade.

ACADEMICS
The course of studies at Holy Cross follows that which is prescribed by the Department of Education in Victoria, with the addition of a compulsory course of Religious Studies at all grade levels. All texts used in academic subjects are those that are prescribed by or approved by the Department of Education, or those for which special permission has been given by the Principal. Courses offered follow the course outlines issued by the Department of Education, copies which are kept on file in the office.

Through Grades 8 – 10 most students will take the following courses. There are very few options from these courses.

English, Religion, Math, Science, Social Studies, French, Physical Education, an Elective, Fine Arts, Applied Skills and Career and Personal Planning.

Students will be required to take a minimum of 52 credits in courses numbered 11 and 12 and will be required to pass all of these in order to be eligible for graduation. A credit is approximately 30 hours of instruction. Full year courses are four credits.

GRADUATING STUDENTS
Listed below are course requirements:
Graduation Requirements

80 credits over Grades 10, 11 and 12
48 required credits:
Language Arts 10(4 credits)*
Language Arts 11(4 credits)*
Language Arts 12(4 credits)*
Social Studies 10(4 credits)
Social Studies 11, Canadian Civics 11 or BC First Nations Studies 12 (4credits)
Science 10 (4 credits)
Science 11 or 12(4 credits)*
Mathematics 10(4 credits)*
Mathematics 11 or 12(4 credits)*
Physical Education 10(4 credits)
Fine Arts and/or Applied Skills 10, 11 or 12 (4 credits)*
Planning 10(4 credits)
*one from a number of course options
Graduation transitions (4 credits)
1. Complete 150 hours of physical activity a week
2. 30 hours work experience
3. Completion of a transition plan

UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
The following are the general entrance requirements to British Columbia’s three major universities. For individual program requirements consult university calendars
Simon Fraser University:
Admission from B.C. Grade 12 must meet the following minimum requirements. (It is recommended that students check the website – www.sfu.ca for the most current admissions information.)

Graduation on the Secondary School Program with the appropriate courses for admission.

There have been many changes made to Simon Fraser University’s admission policy. Please refer to the counsellors’ office and request a Simon Fraser University calendar. Students are encouraged to go to the counsellors’ office for inquiries for any post secondary institution.

University of Victoria:
The university will require what is outlined below:
Math 11
English 11
Social Studies 11
Science (not Science & Technology 11)
Language 11(not at the beginners level)
English 12
Plus 3 additional Grade 12 academic subjects selected from the Curriculum Reference Chart as approved by the Ministry of Education.

Alternative Grade courses may be considered in individual cases at the discretion of the Senate Committee on Admission and re-registration, c/o Director of Admission Services.

The entrance average is calculated on English 12 and the examinable academic 12 level subjects.

University of British Columbia:
Graduation on the Secondary School Program. Required courses must include:

English 11 Principles of Mathematics 11
Social Studies 11 At least one approved Science 11
English 12 An approved Language 11(a beginner’s language 11 does not satisfy this requirement).

Three additional academic Grade 12 courses.

The foregoing information is a brief explanation of general admission requirements. Further information must be obtained from the universities themselves and the school counselling office

DEPARTMENT HEADS
The head of each department is required to co-ordinate the department, making sure that there is unity of purpose and a consistent method of evaluation and presentation of subject matter. The Department Head is further required to ensure that the teachers follow the approved course of study for the department.

MARKS
Marks given for a marking period consist of a term mark and (where applicable) an exam mark. The class mark includes quizzes, assignments, projects, and contributions to the class by discussion and effort. There are four reporting periods in the school year, with exams being set at the end of the second and fourth periods. In those reporting periods in which exams are set, the exam will normally count for a minimum of 30% and a maximum of 50% of that term’s total mark, as established by individual Department policy.

MISSING ASSIGNMENTS
No student will receive credit for any course in which the student has failed to hand in any assignment. The teacher will notify the student of any missing assignment(s) three weeks before the final day of classes. If the student has not handed in the missing assignment(s) on the final day of classes,(i.e. before Exam Week commences) that student will be given an automatic failure in the course for which the assignment is missing.

When a student makes up missing assignment(s) the teacher may choose to set alternative assignment(s) instead of the assignment(s) set, so that the student may not simply copy another student’s work.

While a student is given a chance to make up missing assignments, no credit will be given for the work made up since the student has chosen not to hand in the work at the time it was asked for. Students on suspension receive “0” for any work missed.

REPORT CARDS
Report Cards are issued four times during the school year, in November, February, April and June.

The numerical mark will show the student’s standing in that particular subject.

The following letter grades are used to show the student effort in each subject:

A 86-100 C+ 67-72 C- 50-59
B 73-85 C 60-66 F 0-49

If a mark of IN(incomplete) is received by a student in any class, that student has fourteen calendar days from the date on the report card to complete the
necessary work in order to receive a grade. If the work is not completed within fourteen calendar days, the student will receive a failing mark for that reporting period.

Report cards are anecdotal as well as objective. A comment by the teacher is required to accompany any failing grade.

NOTE: It is Holy Cross Educational Committee policy to withhold Report Cards in June for any outstanding accounts.

HONOURS
A student obtaining 75% average in the required courses will be on the Honour Roll and receive a certificate. A student who is on the Honour Roll all year will receive an Honour pin at the end of the school year. Any student failing a subject will not be eligible for the Honour Roll regardless of the average of the other seven subjects.

The subjects included in completing the average for Honour Roll are as follows:

Grade 8,9, & 10 Grade 11 & 12
All subjects except CPP All subjects except CPP
*Locally Developed subjects do not apply.

COURSE CREDIT
A student is granted course credit for any course in which the student has obtained an average of 50% over the school year, providing all assignments have been completed.(See Missing Assignments)
A student who has a failing average for the year in a subject but obtains a mark of 50% in the Final Exam for that subject may be granted a pass at the discretion of the subject teacher, providing all assignments have been completed.

TIME BEFORE EXAMS
In the two weeks before exams, teachers are asked not to overburden students with extra assignments, quizzes, tests and reports. Only assignments and tests which are a normal part of regular class procedure may be set during this period of time.

ABSENCE FROM EXAMS
If a student misses an exam for any valid reason, such as sickness,
the student’s mark for that term will be calculated on the basis of term work only. If a student misses an exam for an unacceptable reason, such as a vacation, the student will be given 0% for the exam, and this mark will be included in the calculation of the total term mark.

FAILURES
Students, Grades 8 to 10 in particular, who fail a course or courses in June must go to Summer School. Enrollment for each grade is such that students repeating courses increase the size of these classes to an unacceptable level. If students do not attend Summer School they will
be allowed to repeat courses only if the schedule permits and the class size remains at an acceptable number. If this is not possible, then these students will not be allowed to return to Holy Cross. A student who does not achieve a final mark of 40% will not be given the permission of Holy Cross to attend Summer School.

If, at the end of the summer, a student has not been able to obtain a pass in the Religion, English, P.E. , or Social Studies, the student will have to transfer to another school. It is impossible for Holy Cross to accommodate students in these areas, since grade enrollments are always at a maximum and there will simply be no room in the preceding grade for the student to sit in the classroom.

HOMEWORK
The following are the hours that should be spent by each student engaged in homework:
Grades 8, 9, 10: One hour and a half per evening, five evenings per week.
Grades 11 & 12: At least two hours per evening, five evenings per week.
It is possible, indeed likely, that a student may work on homework for several hours one evening and do none the next. This is quite acceptable. The important thing is that the average time spent should be as indicated.

No student should ever be in a position to say that there is no homework during the course of an entire week. It should be noted that homework includes private study and review and private reading. There is always some area in which a student may be studying or reading.

If a student is absent, it is the student’s responsibility to find out what homework has been set while the student has been away, and to catch up on any missing work.

Students in Grade 11 and Grade 12 who have elected to take a large number of heavy academic subjects must, of course, expect to have to spend longer hours at homework than the normal recommended average for those grades.

PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is theft of intellectual property such as copying phrases, sentences, or paragraphs from another’s work, published or unpublished. Any use of an author’s idea or data, must be documented in a manner prescribed by the teacher. Students submitting plagiarized work will receive a zero for that assignment and a discipline referral.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
To further their education as complete persons, students are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities. Students engaging in such extra-curricular activities are reminded to keep a balance between the activities and school work. They should not engage in such activities to the detriment of their school work. Teachers who feel that a student is, in fact, neglecting his school work because of extra-curricular activities have the right to have the student disbarred from any activities until the student shows a change in attitude. However, it should be noted that no student may be disbarred from participating in an extra-curricular activity because he/she lacks the ability to achieve well in academic fields. It is the student’s attitude to school work, not the mark achieved, that is the measure of whether or not the student should be disbarred from activities.

Any student quitting an extra-curricular activity for no apparent reason, after the final roster has been decided upon, will be suspended from all extra-curricular activities for a calendar year. When the student is again eligible for extra-curricular he or she will be on trial for the first month of the activity.

Students engaging in extra-curricular activities are reminded that when so doing they are also representing the school and all the students in the school. They are therefore reminded always and everywhere to conduct themselves as young Christian ladies and gentlemen should. Contravention of this code will result in suspension from activities.

POLICY REGARDING EXTRA-CURRICULAR THEATER SCRIPTS
Any script being used for public presentation by the Holy Cross Players will be authorized for use by the Principal in consultation with the Archbishop’s Representative and the Education Committee Chairperson.

DAILY DISCIPLINE
Students are expected at all times to conduct themselves in a manner which reflects a sense of respect for the rights and feelings of their fellow students and, an appreciation for the school building and facilities and the shared responsibility for their upkeep, and especially a respect for the authority of the school staff, both teaching and non-teaching.

Most discipline problems will be handled on site by any staff member who is present. Students are expected to listen to and respect the authority of the staff member in handling these problems. Problems in the classroom will be generally handled in the same way, but repeated disruption or disregard for the teacher’s direction will result in the student being sent to the Vice-Principal. Common classroom situation where this is likely to occur are:
a. repeated lateness for class by a student for any period during the school day.
b. repeated incidents of a student not being ready for class by not having homework done, not having books and writing materials required, and other such disregard of regular student responsibilities.
c. any incident of defacement of school property.
d. any incident of a student “talking back” to a teacher or any such incident showing open disregard or contempt for the authority of the teacher.
e. repeated dress code violations.
Any student sent to the Vice-Principal for any of the above or similar serious reasons will be dealt with as each situation warrants, but part of the response will include a call home explaining the seriousness of the situation to the parents. Any further repeated incidents of the same or a different nature will result in more serious disciplinary action being taken. This may take the form of suspension from a particular class or from classes in general.

PARENT PARTICIPATION PROGRAM
The Parent Participation Program is an important dimension of the operation of Holy Cross Regional High School. Though this program we are able to generate income, reduce costs and support student activities. An equally important aim of the program is to foster a spirit of community among families working to create a better school.

Parents are required to work a minimum of 12 hours throughout the year. There are a variety of categories of work participation giving sufficient flexibility for a majority of families to find a satisfying means of involvement. As much as possible you will be called to do your volunteer hours in the category you indicated on the form that was submitted with your registration form. Depending on what category you select, you may be called 2 or 3 times over the course of the school year.

Parents will be contacted to confirm the dates and times of their work commitment. It is important to the efficient running of the program that parents fulfill their scheduled obligations. Parents are required to send a replacement if they cannot fulfill their commitment, no students please. You will be fined $50.00 for each time you fail to show for a scheduled work commitment. This $50.00 fine is independent from the $200.00 deposit. In addition you will be rescheduled for another work date. Failure to meet 2 scheduled commitments will result in an automatic suspension from the parent participation program. You will be required to pay the balance of $200.00 in lieu of the work commitment.

Should you wish not to participate in the Parent Participation Program, you have the option of paying $200.00 in lieu of the Parent Participation Program.

CHAPERONES/VOLUNTEERS
All chaperones/volunteers will be required to sign a chaperone/volunteer agreement effective September 2009.

PAYMENT OF TUITION
All tuition is paid by pre-authorized debit. Post dated cheques will no longer be accepted. Dates for the pre-authorized debit will be the 1st or the 15th of each month. If parents wish to pay the full year of tuition, a cheque for the full amount may be made out for the 1st of September.

PROCEDURES AND POLICY FOR OVERDUE ACCOUNTS AND NSF CHEQUES
• All insufficient funds will be invoiced, upon receipt, with a $25.00 NSF fee.
• If NSF replacement has not been received within 14 days of date of invoice, your parish representative from the Education Committee will contact you by phone for a review of your account.
• Any accounts outstanding over thirty(30) days will receive a letter asking for full payment within fourteen days of the date of the letter by cash or certified cheque or the student(s) are to stay home until the account is paid in full. This is in keeping with the Family Commitment form parents signed city that “parents/guardians agree to accept the responsibility for the cost of tuition, supplies and other school activities”.
• Registration packages will be withheld for the following year until all arrears are paid in full
• The school reserves to right to apply extracurricular funds received to outstanding tuitions.